Latest
Chronicle
Chronicle
Blog
NYPD's Mindless Response to Accusations of Overzealous Marijuana Enforcement
Let's revisit once again this week's excellent NYCLU study of marijuana arrests in New York City. It illuminates several embarrassing facts, which the architects of this disgusting policy would prefer to keep concealed. Among them:
*A shocking increase in arrests from 45,300 between 1988 and 1997 up to 374,000 between 1998 and 2007
*A sustained violation of the spirit of New York's marijuana laws, which hold that citizens should not be arrested for small amounts of concealed marijuana
*Stark and unexplainable racial disparities. 83% of arrestees were black or Latino even though whites are more likely to use marijuana
*Similarly disturbing gender disparities. 90% of arrestees were male, even though women and men use marijuana at similar rates
*The appalling hypocrisy of NY mayor Michael Bloomberg who presides over these arrests despite his admission that he's enjoyed marijuana in the past
*A profit motive behind the arrests wherein police deliberately make marijuana collars at the end of their shift so that they can collect overtime pay while processing the offender
Now that these ugly revelations have been exposed, what does NYPD have to say in its defense? Exactly what one might expect:
So the Marijuana Policy Project is biased, they say, but NYPD sees no conflict of interest when defending the same laws that its officers are paid overtime to enforce? The arrogance of this couldnât possibly be overstated, but I guess there wasn't much else to say. If everything in the report is true, all you can really do is call the author a jerk.
So in order to avoid ridiculously dumb drug policy debate tactics in the future, let's just get one thing straight once and for all: if people who oppose marijuana laws aren't allowed to criticize marijuana enforcement, then people who support marijuana laws shouldn't be allowed to defend it. Does that sound fair?
*A shocking increase in arrests from 45,300 between 1988 and 1997 up to 374,000 between 1998 and 2007
*A sustained violation of the spirit of New York's marijuana laws, which hold that citizens should not be arrested for small amounts of concealed marijuana
*Stark and unexplainable racial disparities. 83% of arrestees were black or Latino even though whites are more likely to use marijuana
*Similarly disturbing gender disparities. 90% of arrestees were male, even though women and men use marijuana at similar rates
*The appalling hypocrisy of NY mayor Michael Bloomberg who presides over these arrests despite his admission that he's enjoyed marijuana in the past
*A profit motive behind the arrests wherein police deliberately make marijuana collars at the end of their shift so that they can collect overtime pay while processing the offender
Now that these ugly revelations have been exposed, what does NYPD have to say in its defense? Exactly what one might expect:
In an official comment on the study, the Police Department was critical of the role played by the New York Civil Liberties Union in publicizing the report and noted that the research had been backed, in part, by the Marijuana Policy Project, which supports legalization. [NY Times]Um, pardon me, but what the hell does that have to do with anything? The report is accurate. Complaining that it was publicized by its authors and that it was funded by supporters of marijuana policy reform is irrelevant. Of course police are angry that this went public. It's embarrassing. And of course it was funded by critics of marijuana laws. Who else would fund it? The Heritage Foundation? I donât think so.
So the Marijuana Policy Project is biased, they say, but NYPD sees no conflict of interest when defending the same laws that its officers are paid overtime to enforce? The arrogance of this couldnât possibly be overstated, but I guess there wasn't much else to say. If everything in the report is true, all you can really do is call the author a jerk.
So in order to avoid ridiculously dumb drug policy debate tactics in the future, let's just get one thing straight once and for all: if people who oppose marijuana laws aren't allowed to criticize marijuana enforcement, then people who support marijuana laws shouldn't be allowed to defend it. Does that sound fair?
Chronicle
Blog
Marijuana...more than just medicine
Its time for change ! the only reason the canibus plant was outlawed was because of crooked politicians and some major corperations that didn't want to compete with all the benefits the canibus could provide they started their fraud of the plant in the 30's with the numberous prapaganda movie shorts claiming it was a drug that made users violent...fact of the matter..people were growing the plant for rope and clothing and medical purposes for centuries ...they even were using hemp seed oil to burn in the oil lamps they used did you know that clothes made from hemp last longer?...the history channel has several series about drugs and how they became illegal and marijuana was one of them the history channel is the only one out there along with some indy potumentaries that bring you the facts and truth ....it is time for a change the goverment rather you be hooked on THEIR drugs...ones that people overdose and die on or cause worse side effects or even the same symptom that they are trying to help on top of that some of those drugs will do more damage to your body than the disease you are trying to treat or you end up a pill junkie (most of those pill junkies will get violent for their fix as will an alcoholic that starts to get the shakes from the lack of their fire water!...there has NEVER been a marijuana overdose but you can die from alcohol via drunk driving or drinking too much there are no withdrawls if you stopped using canibus for a little bit...(at least none for me) only thing that bothered me was my pain management..
Blog
New York City's Marijuana Arrest Rate is Wildly Out of Control
Two of my colleagues, Deborah Small and Prof. Harry Levine, have analyzed New York City's marijuana policy in a major report released Wednesday the New York Civil Liberties Union. The chart appearing above pretty makes the central point, but check out Jacob Sullum's piece in Reason for a good general discussion of the report's findings and implications.
Also, Scott wrote here last night about an important side angle, why it's a bad idea to take out your marijuana to give it to police.
Yesterday's is a must-read too.
The report itself, and the authors' summary, are online hereLatest News
Latest News
Blog
Don't Give Your Marijuana to the Police
This remarkable New York Times piece exposes New York City's out of control marijuana policy, which has produced 374,900 misdemeanor marijuana arrests since 1998, despite a decrim law that's been in effect for 30 years. This is a rare example of professional-quality drug war coverage from the mainstream media and should be read in its entirety, as it raises several interesting issues.
I found this passage, which describes one particular arrest, quite revealing:
"I came out of the building, and this unmarked car, no light, no indication it was police, was right on me," said the man, a Latino who asked that his name not be used because he was concerned about his job. "Right on my tail. An officer got out, he said, 'I saw you walking from that building, I know you bought weed, give me the weed.' He made it an option: 'Give me the weed now and I will give you a summons, or we can search your vehicle and can take you in.' "He opened the console and handed them his marijuana â making it "open to public view."
"I was duped," he said. But the deception was legal, and his pot wasnât.
The officers escorted him in handcuffs to the unmarked car.
Amazingly, police must actually trick citizens into displaying their marijuana in order to make an arrest, since the decrim law requires plain view discovery. NYPD officers have become quite adept at initiating this through the typical threats and coercion that have long been the hallmark of petty drug war police practices.
Fortunately, the most obvious and effective antidote to New York's overzealous marijuana policing is really pretty simple: don't give them your marijuana. Don't admit having marijuana. Don't give them consent to search you or your vehicle. Ask if you're free to go.
Ending this obscene spectacle, which violates the spirit of New York's marijuana laws and wastes precious law-enforcement resources, is vitally important. But until that happens, citizens can protect themselves by not idiotically turning over their illegal drugs to the police. Seriously, stop giving them your drugs.
Chronicle
In The Trenches
Press Release: Medical Marijuana Bill Lead Sponsor Announces Law Enforcement Requested Changes to Bill
[Courtesy of Illinois Compassion Access Network]Â
MEDIA ADVISORY: APRIL 30, 2008
Medical Marijuana Bill Lead Sponsor Announces Law Enforcement Requested Changes to Bill
CONTACT: John Walker, Illinois Compassion Access Network, (847) 769-1772
SPRINGFIELD, IL. â In a press conference today, Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago), lead sponsor of a bill to protect from arrest seriously ill Illinoisans who use medical marijuana with a doctor's recommendation, announced significant changes to the legislation based on input from law enforcement.
   Although members of the law enforcement community have been among the most vocal opponents of the bill, Cullerton said the recent amendments reflected specific objections law enforcement officers raised in good faith in a meeting with bill proponents last month.
   "I'm grateful to the members of the law enforcement community who sat down with us to help us craft this improved medical marijuana bill," he said. "Thanks to their help, I'm confident we have legislation here that protects our most suffering patients while ensuring law officers are able to do their jobs and keep our streets safe."
   A comprehensive list of the amendments made at the request of law enforcement representatives can be viewed online here: http://www.mpp.org/states/illinois/ChangesToSB2865.html
   Also at the press conference, medical marijuana activist and Chicago multiple sclerosis patient Julie Falco announced a new campaign to reach out to representatives by sending personal video appeals by seriously ill patients asking for support on the medical marijuana bill.
   Many of the videos are available online here: www.illinoiscan.com/videos.html
   "I think it's important for people like me â who are counting on compassion to prevail â to let legislators know who we are and why we need this law, especially those whose conditions prevent them from appearing in person," Falco said. "It's very easy for hysteria and fear to take over the debate, but this medical cannabis bill is about only one thing: easing the suffering of seriously ill people with a medicine that is proven safe and effective."
   Despite opposition from some elements of the law enforcement community, medical marijuana enjoys great support among the medical community and among Illinois voters. In February, the American College of Physicians â the second largest physician organization in the country with 124,000 members â became the latest major medical association to endorse laws protecting patients and doctors from arrest for using medical marijuana.
   Also in February, a Mason-Dixon telephone poll of 625 randomly selected Illinois voters â commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. â found that 68 percent of respondents agreed that "seriously and terminally ill patients should be allowed to use and grow medical marijuana for personal use if their doctors recommended it." Full poll results are available here: http://www.mpp.org/states/illinois/2008poll
   SB 2865 â the medical marijuana bill â is expected to reach the Senate floor within weeks.
###